https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/prenatal-cannabis-exposure-associated-mental-disorders-children-persist-into-early-adolescence Skip to main content * U.S. Department of Health & Human Services National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Turning Discovery into Health Search the NIH Website [ ][Search] * NIH Employee Intranet * Staff Directory * En Espanol Site Menu * Home * Health Information + Health Care Providers & Facilities + Health Info Lines + HealthCare.gov + Science Education Resources + NIH Clinical Research Trials and You + Talking to Your Doctor More >> Search Health Topics [ ] [Go] Quick Links + MedlinePlus Health Info + NIH News in Health + Wellness Toolkits * Grants & Funding + Grants Home Page + Find Funding + Due Dates + How to Apply + About Grants + Policy & Compliance + Grants News/Blog + Contracts + Loan Repayment More >> Search the NIH Guide [ ] [Go] Quick Links + RePORT + eRA Commons + NIH Common Fund * News & Events + News Releases + Digital Media Kits + Media Resources + Media Contacts + Images and B-roll + Events + Social Media More >> Quick Links + NIH News in Health + NIH Research Matters + NIH Record * Research & Training + Medical Research Initiatives + Science Highlights + Science Education + Research in NIH Labs & Clinics + Training Opportunities + Library Resources + Research Resources + Clinical Research Resources + Safety, Regulation and Guidance More >> Quick Links + PubMed + Stem Cell Information + OppNet + NIDB + NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research * Institutes at NIH + List of Institutes and Centers + NIH Office of the Director + Directors of NIH Institutes and Centers + NIH Institute and Center Contact Information More >> Quick Links + NCI + NEI + NHLBI + NHGRI + NIA + NIAAA + NIAID + NIAMS + NIBIB + NICHD + NIDCD + NIDCR + NIDDK + NIDA + NIEHS + NIGMS + NIMH + NIMHD + NINDS + NINR + NLM + CC + CIT + CSR + FIC + NCATS + NCCIH * About NIH + Who We Are + What We Do + Jobs at NIH + Visitor Information + Frequently Asked Questions + Contact Us More >> Quick Links + The NIH Director + The NIH Almanac + NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health^(r) + Impact of NIH Research + Science, Health, and Public Trust COVID-19 * COVID.gov * NIH Research information | Espanol * NIH staff guidance (NIH Only) You are here Home >> News & Events >> News Releases News Releases Media Advisory Monday, September 12, 2022 Prenatal cannabis exposure associated with mental disorders in children that persist into early adolescence NIH-funded results add to growing scientific evidence of negative health effects of cannabis use during pregnancy What Prenatal cannabis exposure following the middle of the first trimester--generally after five to six weeks of fetal development--is associated with attention, social, and behavioral problems that persist as the affected children progress into early adolescence (11 and 12 years of age), according to new research supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health. These conditions may put these children at a greater risk of mental health disorders and substance use in late adolescence, when youth are typically most vulnerable to these disorders and behaviors. Published today in JAMA Pediatrics, this study analyzed data from the ongoing Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the largest long-term study of brain development and health in children and teens in the United States, which is supported by NIDA and nine other Institutes, Centers, and Offices of the NIH. The study was conducted by scientists at Washington University in St. Louis. These findings add to an expanding body of research on the effects of cannabis use during pregnancy. A previous analysis using baseline data from the ABCD Study found an association between prenatal cannabis exposure and behavioral problems in these children at 9 to 10 years of age. Preclinical studies have shown that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive substance in cannabis, can cross the placenta and potentially affect brain development. Cannabis use among pregnant women increased from 3% in 2002 to 7% in 2017. In 2018, 4.7% of pregnant women reported cannabis use and 5.4% did in 2019, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The results of this new analysis further support caution against using cannabis during pregnancy, the authors say. The ABCD Study tracks nearly 12,000 youth as they grow into young adults. Investigators regularly measure participants' brain structure and activity using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and collect psychological, environmental, and cognitive information, as well as biological samples. The ABCD Study seeks to understand the factors that influence brain, cognitive, and social-emotional development, with the ultimate goal of providing actionable information to help educators, health professionals, and policymakers improve the lives of all children, today and for generations to come. The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study and ABCD Study are registered trademarks and service marks, respectively, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Article DAA Baranger, et al. Association of Mental Health Burden With Prenatal Cannabis Exposure From Childhood to Early Adolescence: Longitudinal Findings From the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. JAMA Pediatrics. DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.3191 Who * Nora D. Volkow, M.D., director, NIDA * Gaya Dowling, Ph.D., director ABCD Study, NIDA For more information on substance and mental health treatment programs in your area, call the free and confidential National Helpline 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit https://www.findtreatment.gov . About the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): NIDA is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the world's research on the health aspects of drug use and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to inform policy, improve practice, and advance addiction science. For more information about NIDA and its programs, visit https://www.nida.nih.gov/. About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov. 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